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The Day Of The Show

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Here are the things to take along which are considered necessities: the identification card and dog show ticket, a water pan (although you can always use the cardboard ones supplied by feed companies at most shows), a sponge and towel, a bench collar and bench chain or wire bench crate, a show lead, and finally, a comb and brush.  If you use a tack crate (a crate with drawers), these very useful and necessary articles may be permanently stored in the drawers and will always be ready to go.  If you do not use a tack crate, you will probably “latch on” to an old brief case or small overnight bag which will accompany you to shows, and these things can be stored in it and will always be ready to go.

Here are some things you can also take along if you wish: trimming tools, a bucket (if your water pan is large enough perhaps you will use that, but if your breed is a large one, which may need a lot of cleaning up, the bucket will come in handy), a first-aid kit (you never know what may happen), a thermos of water or coffee, lunch, and a change of shoes for your weary feet.  Everything in this list may be prepared the night before and placed with the necessities.

In the morning, exercise your dog carefully.  If you have a pen for him, fine; otherwise don’t turn him loose; he may wade through a puddle, or, worse, he may chase a passing cat and make you late for your arrival.  I have seen this happen to a friend of mine: the dog decided to take off one morning before a show and they didn’t catch up with him until it was too late to go to the show at all.

Watch to see if your dog evacuates.  If he doesn’t, you will want to give him the opportunity to do so immediately upon arriving at the show.  If not then, try again before he goes into the ring.  Your dog will show better for you if this act has been performed.  However, it happens that no matter how many opportunities you may give a dog to evacuate before he goes into the ring he will decide that right now, in the ring, is the time.  If it happens to you, don’t die of embarrassment.  Remember, it has happened before to others.  Just try, if possible without interrupting the dog, to maneuver him to the side or end of the ring and stay there until he has finished.  When he has finished, go on with whatever you were doing.

The Day Of The Show courtesy Dog Articles.

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Who’s A Canine Good Citizen?

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The Canine Good Citizen program is an American Kennel Club program open to all dogs, mixed breed and purebred.  Its purpose is to reward dogs and their owners who can show that they have good manners both in the community and at home.  It fundamentally stresses responsible dog ownership and good social skills.  Dogs who take part in the program go through a 10-part test and, if they pass, receive a certificate from the AKC and the CGC title.

The Canine Good Citizen program is often the first step for an owner and their dog in obedience training.  They may go on to participate in obedience competitions, agility or rally events.  However, many people earn the CGC title just to prove that their dogs have basic obedience skills.  The CGC title is often accepted as proof by landlords and others that a dog has basic obedience skills.  Forty-two state legislatures have already passed resolutions endorsing the Canine Good Citizen program at the state level.

Before taking the CGC test (sometimes at a dog show or other AKC event, sometimes at a dog training center with a certified tester), an owner will sign a Responsible Dog Owners Pledge.  After that, he/she and their dog will go through the 10-step test:

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
This test shows that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach and greet the handler.  The evaluator comes up to the owner and speaks to him/her while ignoring the dog.

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
In this test the dog should allow a friendly stranger to touch him while he’s out with his owner.  The owner may talk to the dog throughout the test.

Test 3: Appearance and grooming
In this test the dog should welcome being groomed and examined.  He should allow someone, such as a vet, groomer or friendly stranger to go over him.  The evaluator will look over the dog to see that he/she is clean and groomed.  The dog should appear to be in good condition.  The evaluator then combs or brushes the dog, checks the ears and picks up the front paws.  This simulates a vet exam — dogs should be well-behaved during vet exams.

Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)

This test shows that the owner is in control of the dog on a loose leash.  The dog may walk on either side of the owner.  The dog should appear to be attentive and responsive to the owner’s changes of direction.  There are several turns on a course in this test.  The owner can talk to the dog, praise the dog, and give commands.

Test 5: Walking through a crowd
The test shows that the dog can move calmly and politely in foot traffic and be controlled in public places.  The dog and owner walk around and pass close to several people.  There should be no over-excitement, shyness or resentment.

Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place
This test shows the dog’s training and that he will respond to his owner’s commands to sit and lie down.  He should also remain in the place commanded by his owner.  The leash is replaced with a 20-foot line during this test.

Test 7: Coming when called
During this test the owner walks 10 feet from the dog, faces the dog and calls.

Test 8: Reaction to another dog
This test shows that the dog can behave well around other dogs.

Test 9: Reaction to distraction
During this test the evaluator chooses two distractions.  These can be dropping a chair, having a jogger go by, dropping a cane, etc.  The dog should not show any panic or try to run away or otherwise misbehave.

Test 10: Supervised separation
This final test shows that the dog can be left with someone and still maintain his good manners.  The owner is out of sight for three minutes.  The dog shouldn’t bark the whole time, whine or show more than mild agitation.

All of the exercises are performed on leash.  Your dog should wear a buckle or slip collar.  Leather, fabric or chain collars are fine.  You should bring your dog’s comb or brush with you to the test.

Kennel clubs and dog training centers offer classes for the Canine Good Citizen test but it is possible to pass the test without taking any classes.  You can prepare for it with your dog at home.

The Canine Good Citizen test is a good test for dogs and their owners.  It’s good for your dog to learn some basic manners and for you to work with your dog on simple obedience lessons.  These lessons will come in handy again and again for your dog and make him a more desirable dog in the community.

Who’s A Canine Good Citizen courtesy Dog Articles.

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For Dog Owners

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(From a dog’s point of view) You know you need a new mindset when your dog would say: I am a small breed dog that should weigh about 15 lbs but I weigh 40. My owner jokes about how she is guilty of feeding me table scraps (I am four now, but I may not see seven or eight because of this. I like to eat and it’s my owners’ job to maintain my weight because I don’t know how) I am a medium size breed that should weigh around 60 lbs but I weigh 110 lbs. The vet, told my owner to put me on a diet, so he/my owner cut back to 6 cups per day (that means I was getting way, way too much before because 6 cups is way too much for me now and I will probably not live long because I don’t know how to control my own weight, this makes me sad)

My owner doesn’t want me to see, smell, look at, greet or play with any other dog (since I am by nature a pack animal, he can expect me to have issues including possible aggression and fearfulness. I don’t think he realizes that I am just like a human child that needs to play and have fun and make friends with other dogs just like a human child does) I am a large breed, long haired dog and my owner hasn’t brushed or bathed me in 9 months and she wants my groomer to bathe, brush and get all the mats out without clipping me. (which isn’t possible without a haircut and hurts me and makes me really anxious) I am a small breed dog and I have gotten severely matted because my owner doesn’t brush me.

She has this silly notion that a hairbrush is a stress on me, so she tried “hacking” and “chopping” at the mats herself then decided to take me to the groomer but didn’t want me to be bathed or brushed, just clipped. (It hurts me to cut my hair when it’s this matted and it can’t be done without brushing what can be brushed out first. Lack of regular care causes me way more stress when I am dumped on a groomer for care and have to endure tugging and pulling at mats, than if my coat was maintained to begin with. Hacking and chopping what she can’t see, can cause cuts she can’t see)

My owner lets my toenails get so long that they curl around and dig into the pads of my paws, then takes me to the groomer. (this would be to him, like walking around in shoes that have nails driven into them stabbing into his feet. My toes will become splayed and I will probably develop joint pain, not to mention that I may have hoof rot, which can get very stinky and painful.) When I jump up on counters or people, my owner says “look what I taught my dog” (I’m behaving badly and I should not be encouraged) When I bark and growl at people and other dogs and my owner says “Good boy!, you go get em” (If I am allowed to behave like this, he may end up getting rid of me to another owner who may give me up again and I might get euthanized in a shelter because I wasn’t trained to behave to begin with.)

I bite people and when my owner is told about it, she says “Oh yeah, he gets a wild hair every now and then and decides to turn” (I am being very naughty and I should not be allowed to act like this. I’m afraid if she doesn’t get me trained to behave, I might end up in a shelter or get euthanized for my bad behavior) My owner doesn’t want to have me spayed or neutered because he thinks I will become fat, lazy or that it will take away what I should have. (What he doesn’t realize is that I will want to mark and mount the girls and other dogs and I might become a fighter and a dangerous dog. The girl dogs out there like me will probably have puppies that no one will have a home for and they will end up in shelters or get euthanized. This makes me so sad)

My owner wants my caregiver while she is on vacation to feed me human treats for my snack but they are unhealthy and one is actually poisonous to me. (If you want to feed me human foods, please make sure that they are safe for me because I want to live a long life with you, not die of poisoning that you didn’t know about.

For Dog Owners courtesy Dog Articles.

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Extremely Light Shedding Dogs

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Every dog sheds some just like people lose a little hair. But some dogs shed  much more than others, while the ones discussed here shed a lot less. A lightly shedding dog is better for those people that want a house dog without as much cleanup of the dog’s fur required. It is also a plus for less grooming of your pet.

Those that want a dog that shed’s less have a large variety of breeds to choose from including: the Irish Water Spaniel, Puli, Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Poodle, Bolognese, and the Doodleman Pincher. This list is a sampling of breeds that shed less and isn’t all inclusive of them.

The so called non-shedding breds make the best pets for people with allergies. Dander and dead skin, which flakes off are allergens. The “don’t shed breds” don’t make as much allergy inducing material as other dogs.

The length of the dog’s coat isn’t as important in determining if he is a big shedder, as how many layers there are to his coat. In other words, pick a dog with one layer to his coat, not two layers. This rule applies whether the dog is short haired, wire haired or long haired.

People with allergies that are looking for a non-shedding dog, still need to be around the dog some to see if they will have an allergic reaction to the dog. Person A’s allergies can be triggered by one bred, while person B’s allergies aren’t agitated. So visit with the pooch before rushing home with the lovely pet.

Obviously, the non-shedding breeds are the ones to choose from, if you want to pick a dog for an allergic child. This should be on the okay of the child’s allergist. But if at all possible it is a wonderful part of childhood to have a dog. as a friend. It is important as with the adult allergy sufferer to make sure the dog won’t cause an allergic reaction.

Another consideration in picking a non-shedding dog is how well does this breed get along with children? That is for those that have children. The Maltese is a good choice because it is a friendly little dog that likes to play. The Labradorean is a dog that is family oriented that enjoys running and playing. It is a large dog. The Irish Water Spaniel is a medium dog in size. It has a good deposition for children and is a gentle dog. It is an intelligent animal and a beautiful dog. A beagle is a good choice for a child’s pet, which is non-shedding, friendly, and loving.

Those are just some of the non-shedding dogs that are also perfect to be around children. Others include the Golden Doodle, Bichon Frise, and the Bouvier des Flandres.

If a non-shedding dog is your choice, you won’t be without a variety to choose from in bred, size, and personality. Some are particularly good with children. One of these wonderful dogs is waiting for you to give it a good home.

Extremely Light Shedding Dogs courtesy Dog Articles.

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What Should I Do With My Dogs Matted Coat?

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Humans have daily personal hygiene rituals. We wake up and brush our teeth, wash our face, shower. We shampoo, condition, brush and style our hair daily. We have far less hair than a dog does and we spend a significant amount of time on it. Imagine if you had hair all over your body and imagine if it got knotted and matted and tangled. How happy would you be? Not very, right?

It’s not hard to understand why a dog would be unhappy with matted hair. New arrivals at dog shelters are often covered in tangles and sometimes even family pets are as well. Some owners aren’t very conscientious about their pet’s grooming needs. Don’t be one of those owners.

Tangled hair is an excellent spot for parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites to thrive. Dandruff can build up in the coat and a dog can develop a nasty smell from a coat not well taken care of.

Obviously, having an ungroomed coat isn’t comfortable for the dog, nor is it healthy, but what’s the best way to take care of it?

– Check out the extent of the problem. How far into the hair is the knotting? Is it all the way to the roots? Is it in small isolated clumps or all over? Is it dirty too or just tangled?

– If the problem is really extreme, your best solution may just be to shave the animal and allow new hair to grow. (Be sure when hair does grow back to take good care of it, wash it and brush it regularly to prevent this problem from happening again.)

– If the matting is just near the ends of the hair and not all over, the problem isn’t quite so bad. Get the animal to lay down on a table or where you can work on him. Get a small pair of trimming scissors and a large pair. Use the large pair of scissors to cut out big knots and mats on the animal’s body. When you’re finished with that, use the small pair of scissors to work on the delicate areas of the dog: the face, the paws and the ears.

– Use a dog brush to brush the rest of the dogs coat out to get rid of any small tangles.

– Be sure to check for parasite infestations and treat them if applicable.

Sometimes, a big problem with animals’ coats matting is just being generally dirty. Having a dirty coat can cause a lot of tangles. After sniping out large tangles from the dog’s coat, wash him thoroughly with some dog shampoo and conditioner.

Preventative measures are the best way to battle a matted coat. Be sure to bathe your dog often, use preventative flea/tick medicine if necessary and to brush him when you can. Take care of your dog’s coat like you would take care of your hair (minus that styling part) and your dog will appreciate it greatly.

What Should I Do With My Dogs Matted Coat courtesy Dog Articles.

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Dog Maintenance

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For anyone who’s considering getting a dog, please do your research first. Consider the care and maintenance involved in the breed you are wanting and whether or not you are able, willing to keep up with care for, train, seek medical attention for, grooming of and training of that breed. If you cannot or will not be able to meet the needs of the dog, perhaps another more maintenance free pet would be more suited for you, ie, a goldfish or a pet rock. The goldfish, you only need to throw food at and change the tank once in a while, the pet rock you only need to talk to.

Try this: pinch two pieces of skin close to one another on your neck, now take those pieces of skin and pull them tight together. How does that feel? Now imagine walking around with your skin pulled tight like that. That’s what a matt does and feels like to a dog, sometimes multiplied several times. This doesn’t allow the skin to breathe and can cause rashes and even tear the skin. If you already have a dog that needs grooming, brush it regularly. If it’s a coat that becomes matted, this will keep most of the matts away. If it becomes too matted, don’t try to cut them out yourself unless you know how to do it right.

Take it to a groomer and not after you’ve been attempting to groom it yourself. Ever let your hair go nearly a year before washing or brushing it and then spend six hours trying to detangle the mess without trimming out the tangles. That’s what happens to a long haired dog that’s not maintained and it doesn’t feel any better (probably worse) to the dog who has a groomer tugging and pulling at mats that an owner doesn’t want, to have a haircut. Now try this: Pound nails into your shoe so that they stick up into your foot, then walk around on them. Not comfortable? That’s how it feels to a dog that has toenails curled around and digging into the pads of their feet. Their toes will also become splayed apart and they will get painful joint problems throughout their legs. Ever get fleas in your hair? Now imagine yourself covered from head to toe with fleas biting at you.

Does it sound pleasant? It’s not to a dog either, in fact it causes rashes, sores and infections and disease. Have you ever seen a child who’s who was deemed unmanageable and has been bounced from one foster home to another because? That’s what it’s like for the dog that doesn’t get proper training and the owner gives him up and then he may see another couple of homes in their life or get euthanized in a shelter because he got out of hand. That holds true not only for the large breed, but also the small one. Misbehavior is not cute. People need a limited and balanced diet and exercise, so does an overweight dog.

Feeding an overweight dog table scraps and junk food, is stealing away part of that dogs’ life. It really does shorten their life, as they need care just like you or I do. Have you seen a child who is so scared and shy that they want to always hide or can’t get along with other children? Usually they haven’t been away from mom and dad or don’t have friends to play with and they may have issues later on. Having a dog and never allowing it the opportunity to look at, see or play with another dog or getting it out around other people from the time it is young is depriving it of much needed socialization. That dog will likely have either fearful or aggressive issues.

In my profession as a dog resort owner and dog groomer, these are just examples of situations I’ve encountered, from dogs in dire need of care from owners being too busy, not thinking about it, work and chasing their kids around. While these may be legit excuses, please keep in mind that your dog may be enduring daily suffering because of it. If you love your dog, the best way to show it is by helping him to live a long, happy and healthy life and he in turn will be your best friend for the duration of his life.

Dog Maintenance courtesy of Dog Articles.

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